SE439253B - DEVICE FOR Saturation of water with carbon dioxide - Google Patents

Description

WMÉW- "š" take the cooling surface, which is in contact with the water. These difficulties can be better understood if one considers that in a dispenser or in a vending machine the frequency of withdrawal of measured amounts of water from the pressure vessel can vary within extremely wide ranges. It is therefore very difficult to ensure a uniform quality of the water saturated with carbon dioxide, which is taken out of the system, when the discharge process takes place in a particularly fast and changing sequence.

In order to keep the power of the cooling unit low, it may also be necessary to arrange a cooling reserve in the area of the cooling surface in the form of an ice storage whose thickness corresponds to the required cooling capacity required, when a high discharge frequency must be taken into account. The ice storage is trained in a known way, e.g. between the cooling hose and the water to be cooled.

As the ice layer forms a type of thermal insulator, the heat transfer from the water to the cooling hose is restricted. In addition, the water is now always in contact with the ice surface, which only has a temperature of about 0 ° C.

It is known to arrange a special cooling surface in order to eliminate this disadvantage, e.g. in the form of a cooling hose at a radial distance from the inner wall of the pressure vessel. In order to control the ice growth on the cooling hose, a forced flow of the water has been generated on one side of the cooling hose immersed in the water with a greater flow rate than on the other side of the cooling hose. As a result, the ice growth on the side of the cooling hose facing the weaker water flow can be favored and the ice growth on the other side of the cooling hose is greatly reduced, so that on this side no or only a thin layer of ice is formed over the cooling hose or corresponding outer surface of the cooling unit. As a result, the heat-insulating ice layer on one side of the cooling hose is so small that the strongly flowing water is exposed to a contact temperature, which can be selected below 0 ° C. The forced flow is generated by means of a stirring vane, arranged in the middle of a accordingly the conically shaped bottom of the pressure vessel below the lower end of the cooling surface. The vane can be driven directly or from the outside of the pressure vessel without physical contact and produces a radially outwardly flowing flow along the bottom, which at the lower end of the cooling surface is divided into the inner stronger and the weaker outer flow, whereby the two flows continue upwards along the cooling surface approximately parallel to the axis of the pressure vessel. The currents are broken at the water surface during vortex formation, so that a substantially irregular and uncontrollable countercurrent is generated approximately in the middle of the amount of water from above and downwards. The constant reversal of the flow as well as the breaking of the flow at the water surface leads to a flow interruption and vortex formation.

This leads to a poorer control capability and to a reduced cooling effect and temperature non-uniformity in the amount of water, as well as to the carbon dioxide gas contained in the water being separated back to the upper compartment of the container through the vortex formation. furthermore, a relatively high driving power is required for the agitator wing.

In this prior art device, the carbon dioxide gas is supplied under pressure through a gas line which ends below the water surface in a porous ceramic stone, through which the gas bubbles into the water as very fine bubbles.

Due to the fact that the agitating vane must be arranged near the bottom of the pressure vessel due to the operation and due to the conduction of the generated flow, the axial height of the cooling surface can only amount to a limited value, since the forced flow generated through the water column is only - sam over a relatively limited axial length. On the other hand, the axial total height of the device is increased by the drive device for the Wing required under the bottom of the container. Due to the upward flow, the rise of the gas bubbles in the water column is favored, so that a considerable proportion of the gas is not absorbed by the water, but accumulates in the upper space. In addition, the rising gas affects the generated forced flow, so that its precise control is affected. when discharging carbon dioxide-containing water from the pressure vessel, fresh water must be supplied. For this purpose, fresh water is sprayed under pressure over a nozzle into the upper chamber of the pressure vessel. Thereby it is achieved that the water flow through the supplied fresh water is not further affected. dPO0Rddd_ uuAuTY 79Ü629Û ~ g7 In addition, by spraying, at least part of the gas accumulated in the upper chamber must be taken up. This is a type of pre-treatment of fresh water with carbon dioxide gas. The injection of the water into the upper chamber requires an increased pressure, which is conditioned by the spray nozzle. Thus, a water pump with additional power for the supply of fresh water must be provided.

In practice, this means the following: When the gas pressure in the top space of the tank is set at 5 bar, for example, the pump must create a static equilibrium with at least 5 bar back pressure, otherwise the liquid height in the pressure tank cannot be increased. As the previous procedure is dependent on injection, in addition to the back pressure of 5 bar, the pump must also overcome a dynamic pressure of about 3 bar, so the pump must be designed to generate a pressure of at least 8 bar. The pump and the drive motor therefore occupy a disproportionately large volume in the device. As the spray nozzle openings can change, this pressure can even rise further during operation. It should be borne in mind that a considerable cost is also required for the production of spray nozzles with slots or nozzle openings of a maximum width of 0.25 mm.

The invention will create opportunities to significantly reduce the above-mentioned difficulties and create a device of the type mentioned with extremely small construction dimensions, high working capacity with low energy consumption and low production costs. For this purpose, the invention is based on a device for saturating water with carbon dioxide, consisting of a pressure-resistant container, which in operation contains a predetermined amount of water and over this a top chamber and has cooling surfaces for cooling the water, which extends approximately vertically, a fresh water supply device and a device for supplying carbon dioxide gas and of a device immersed in the water volume for generating circulation movement in the water, characterized in that an underwater pump immersed in the water volume is arranged for of the carbon dioxide gas through the amount of water and that for this purpose a supply line for the carbon dioxide gas opens immediately into the suction area of the underwater pump. x won -QUÅÃT- in .__ _____._. _-: «7906290-7 KJ! The apparatus preferably comprises a device for producing a superimposed gas flow within the water, which flows rotatingly around the preferably vertically arranged axis of the cooling surface and where the gas flow has a flow component which runs parallel to the axis of rotation.

It is particularly advantageous when one and the same underwater pump for generating the forced flow of the water and the forced circulation of the carbon dioxide gas can be inserted into the water. For this purpose, the outlet orifice on an intake line for the carbon dioxide gas can open in the suction area of the underwater pump. The other end of this suction line preferably extends into the top space of the container above the water surface. In this way it is possible with one and the same underwater pump to force the water a flow, which rotates uniformly about the axis of the cooling surface, while the carbon dioxide gas is simultaneously sucked into the top chamber above the water surface and led into the suction chamber of the underwater pump. There, the gas is mixed immediately and intimately with the water. The gas is then introduced directly into the rotating flow. The gas is immediately absorbed by the water with high efficiency. A smaller part of the carbon dioxide gas in the form of bubbles can then follow an upwardly helical path, which means that even the larger bubbles travel a long ascending path inside the water, until they reach the water surface, whereby the contact time between water and gas bubbles becomes extraordinarily large.

With its completely and hermetically encapsulated drive motor, the submersible pump forms a unit immersed in the water, from which only the watertight insulated electrical lines emanate. The rotor of the subsea pump can be arranged in a pump housing, the intake and discharge openings of which can be arranged near the inside of the cooling surface directed in the opposite circumferential direction, so that both the pressure action and the suction effect act as a driving force on the rotating water column.

After a short start-up time, a uniform rotating forced flow with high uniformity is obtained in the water column, which is not subjected to any reversals and refractions and requires only very little pump energy for its maintenance. The pump can thus be designed very weakly. In the peripheral or circular direction, the flow is practically laminar. Since no vortices or breaks or reversals take place - V. - _._. ~ .... - .- »- ~ ..._..._._ e var * uun fi v 79062994 rum, no tendency arises either to knock the carbon dioxide gas out of the water again. The carbon dioxide gas is mixed immediately and very intimately with the water through the pump and is immediately distributed evenly in the amount of water. The gas introduced into the pump is passed through the water flow immediately to the cooling surface. The fine gas bubbles cool and decrease further in diameter and ability to ascend.

In the preferred embodiments of the device, a porous ceramic stone is also no longer needed for the introduction of the carbon dioxide gas. The fresh gas only needs to be supplied in the top space of the container, since the pump preferably sucks the gas from the top space.

The pump runs all the time, so that regardless of whether a new supply of carbon dioxide gas takes place, the saturation procedure inside the pressure vessel runs continuously, whereby a very intensive and rapid saturation of the water with carbon dioxide gas is obtained.

Comparative experiments have shown that a substantially higher carbon dioxide content is obtained with the device according to the invention at significantly lower costs and lower energy consumption.

When, when this is preferred, the cooling surface is arranged at a radial distance from the inside of the pressure vessel, the rotating movement of the inner water column is transmitted to a reduced extent to the water jacket surrounding the outside of the cooling surface. The rotation takes place in the same direction about the same axis, but with a significantly lower circular speed. In this way, varying ice growth can be achieved on the cooling surface and controlled precisely.

The device can be manufactured with extremely small dimensions. Due to the rapid cooling and intensive dissolution, the volume of the pressure vessel can be made smaller than with previously known carbonizers. In addition, external drive devices for a stirring wing will be omitted. The new carbonizer is therefore particularly suitable for household appliances, which can be installed and built into kitchens with fixed furnishings for immediate generation of carbonated beverages. However, the advantage of the invention is also evident in larger devices, which are required e.g. The essential advantages of the above-mentioned advantages are also obtained. The carbon dioxide gas is fed into the water in a conventional manner over a porous rock, while the underwater pump is only used.

Preferably, however, the introduction of the carbon dioxide gas takes place by means of an underwater pump.

It may be beneficial to impose an additional weak flow in the axial direction on the rotating water column.

This can be achieved in a simple way by helical running guides near the cooling surface. When the cooling surface is formed by a cooling hose, the surface of the cooling hose windings themselves can be designed as helical guide surfaces. However, additional control elements can also be welded or attached in another way. The device is then designed in such a way that the rotating water flow is assigned a slightly helical additional movement in the axial direction downwards.

The very necessity of frequently adding fresh water means that a reliable and uniform cooling of the water is obtained. The water temperature can be set with high accuracy and kept exactly at the desired value. The energy required for cooling is very small, since the cooling surface can be cooled to a temperature considerably below 0 DEG C. and can be kept substantially in direct contact with the rotating water column. The carbon dioxide content of the water can also be set very high and very precisely and also with a high saturation rate, especially when carbonated water is discharged quickly. The intimate mixture of the gas in the water in the pump generates the finest distribution of the gas in the water and prevents the formation of larger gas bubbles. A pre-dissolution of known type is no longer needed with this new carbonizer. Therefore, it is no longer necessary to inject the water into the top room. This also eliminates the dynamic pressure arising in the spray head, so that the water can be led in with a lower pressure in the top space than is necessary in known devices, whereby the device is further simplified and cheaper and the energy consumption decreases.

The new water pump can be operated with a very low power, about 5 - 10 watts. The pump can therefore run continuously and regardless of whether carbonated water is discharged or not. The fresh water can be led in by a simple jet over a distribution surface in the container. ÛUÅLIçv WMQWW? The invention is described in more detail, while in connection with schematic drawings showing a number of embodiments and in Figs. 4, a vertical section of the device according to the invention is shown, Fig. 2 shows a horizontal section through the device in Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, at the same time as the optimal conditions in the new device are illustrated, and Fig. 11 shows an alternative embodiment of a pump for 8th heating in devices in the device. according to the invention, a, preferably narrow pressure vessel 29 which may suitably be cylindrically designed The pressure vessel has a comb. pressure-tight is closed with a lid 2. During operation the pressure inside the container 2 is always higher than the atmospheric pressure. In the lid various supply and measuring devices are arranged, of which in the example shown only a supply pipe 5 for compressed gas and an exhaust pipe 4 for the carbon dioxide gas saturated the water., Both lines pass through pressure-tight openings 5 in the lid 2, the gas supply line 5 in exceptional cases, as in the illustrated example of. in a serious manner at the lower end it opens into a porous body, through which the pressurized gas in the form of very fine bubbles is introduced directly into water. However, this method of gas supply is not preferred.

A predetermined amount of water 7 is charged into the pressure vessel, the surface of which is defined as 8. The filling is done as follows. that a top room 6 remains. Devices not shown in more detail are arranged to keep the water surface at a predetermined level, the fresh water preferably being introduced into the top space as a fine mist.

A hollow cylindrical cooling surface 9 is arranged in the pressure container 2.

This extends over almost the entire height of the water volume '7 and is completely immersed in this water volume. Preferably, the cooling surface is arranged at a proper radial distance from the pressure vessel of the salmon 2. In the example shown, the cooling surface consists of a cylinder hose, which is helically wound with a predetermined pitch direction and with a slight pitch. It can also be in the form of a plurality of cooling hoses arranged in one another. The cooling surface is connected to an arrangement not shown in more detail outside the pressure vessel, the cooling unit cooling unit is driven so that an ice J.

PÛÛR QUALITY i in 7906290-7 armor can be built on this, which ensures a sufficiently large cooling capacity in case cooled and saturated water is discharged quickly. In order to control the growth of the ice armor, a sensing means is arranged to sense the outer and inner surface of the ice armor and control the cooling unit accordingly. The cooling surface is preferably provided with a profiling on the inner surface, possibly also on the outer surface, whereby the profiling can be formed by attached profile elements or the like. In the example shown, the profiling is formed by the helical course of the cooling hose.

This profiling is also transferred to the inner and outer surfaces 11, 14 of the ice armor 13, as shown in Fig. 1. Preferably, the external growth of the ice armor is limited so that the ice armor does not reach the inside of the wall of the pressure vessel 2, but delimits a water-filled annulus 12, which at the top and bottom communicates with the cylindrical body of water arranged inside the cooling surface.

In the lower area of the pressure vessel 2, in the example shown, a submersible pump 15 is arranged, the suction nozzles 18 and suction nozzles 19 extending radially outwards and at their free ends are bent in opposite peripheral directions, so that the inlet orifice 18a points in one direction and the outlet orifice l9a points in the opposite peripheral direction. The water pump can be a conventional underwater pump, e.g. one used in larger aquariums. The axis of rotation of the rotor is denoted by 16. The drive motor is completely encapsulated and the associated supply current lines, which are not shown in more detail, are led pressure-tight out of the container.

By means of this device, during the operation of the underwater pump 15, the inner water core 25 is displaced during gradual acceleration in rotation in accordance with the arrows 20 after the engagement of the water pump. After a certain orbital period, the inner water core 25 rotates at a uniform speed and with practically no flow disturbances around the vertical axis 17 of the cooling surface. The power of the subsea pump only needs to be so great that the stagnant water core is started to rotate during start-up and the energy consumption caused by friction can be replaced by the pump power. Preferably, the device is designed so that the amount of water in the annulus 12 is also set in rotation according to the arrows 21, whereby already due to the higher friction in this annulus the rotational speed in this region is noticeably less than in the core region 25, so that the ice armor preferably grows radially outwards from the cooling surface, while the ice layer over the cooling surface on the inside of the cooling surface is small. This ensures an optimal heat transfer between the water and the cooling surface and ensures that the cooling device can be operated with low power without the cooling effect being thereby reduced.

The water that gets colder tends to sink downwards. This downward migration of the colder water can be supported by a corresponding rise in the profile of the cooling surface together with the direction of rotation of the subsea pump.

The suction nozzles 18 and the discharge nozzles 19 can also be displaced towards each other in the axial direction, in order to distribute the driving energy of the underwater pump over a larger axial area of the water core 25. For the same reason, several suction openings and discharge openings on one or more several underwater pumps can be arranged. As a rule, however, the device shown in the figure is sufficient, which is particularly affordable in terms of manufacture and maintenance.

Assuming that the carbon dioxide gas is passed over line 5 into the porous body and from it flows directly into the water, it has been found to be particularly advantageous if the turbulence of the water in the underwater pump is used for introducing the carbon dioxide gas and for atomizing the gas in the water. For this purpose, as indicated by the dashed lines, an intake line 26 is provided, the outlet end 27 of which seals open into the intake area of the underwater pump 15. The carbon dioxide gas sucked in is gripped by the rotating pump means and is mixed intimately with the water during vortexing, whereby an intimate distribution and contact between gas and water is ensured and a rapid dissolution is maintained. The water coming out with a higher concentration is rapidly distributed in the water core 25, so that there is practically no * risk that the finest gas bubbles will grow and merge with the gas bubbles rising up to the top space 6 Poon l uuAuTvts 7906290-7 ll .

The line 26 can be led out of the container. Preferably, its inlet end 28 still opens into the top space 6, whereby the carbon dioxide gas from outside only needs to be introduced into the top space, so that the pump sucks the gas from the top space of the container. This leads to a very simple yet efficient device.

The device according to the invention leads to a higher resolution effect with at the same time cheaper production and more economical operation, whereby the overall construction of the apparatus can take place cheaply and in relation to known devices with the same capacity it takes up less space. The device is thus also particularly suitable for installation in beverage vending machines.

The surprisingly high levels of CO2 and carbon dioxide in the water determined by experiments are obviously due to the constant pumping of CO2 through the amount of water, and this regardless of whether water is withdrawn from the tank or not. Nor during the "rest periods" does the circulating of CO 2 through the water stop.

Fig. 3 shows a simplified embodiment in a vertical section of a preferred design of the new device using the above-mentioned principles.

The device according to Fig. 3 shows a pressure vessel 30 with a lid 31. In the pressure vessel, preferably at a distance from the inner wall of the vessel, a cooling surface 32 of any kind straightened along a hollow cylinder is arranged, which can be connected to a cooling assembly (not shown). over connection cables 33.

The pressure vessel, during the formation of a liquid-free top space 46, is filled with water up to a liquid mirror 36. The water fills the outer annulus 34 as well as the central space 35 in the pressure vessel 30.

Through the container lid, connecting lines 33 for the cooling surface as well as an electrical cable 55 for the purposes described in more detail are passed through a pressure-tight seal. At the top space 46 of the container, two pressure-tight pipes 37 and 40 passed through the container lid open in a pressure-tight manner. The pipe 37 is connected to a fresh water source, e.g. a water main. In contrast to devices known in the art, the conduit 37 opens into the top space 46 with a free cross-section, so that a simple jet of water can flow out, whereby the water is thus not atomized or transferred to mist. This leads to a considerable reduction of the pressure with which the fresh water is introduced into the pressure vessel 30. In order to prevent the water jet from directly hitting the water surface 36, a pouring plate 38 is arranged in the top space below the inlet mouth of the pipe 37, which may be formed as a bowl or inverted cone and son: spread out the water jets as an annular veil.

The carbon dioxide gas pipeline 40 also opens freely into the top space 46, which is thus filled with carbon dioxide gas.

Centrally in relation to the cooling surface 32, a circulation device 42 is arranged in the container 30 along the axis 41.

The circulation device has a double function. It generates by means of two axially spaced submersible pump devices 43 and 44, which can be driven by an electron motor enclosed in the unit 42 with line 55, a water flow rotating about the shaft 41 corresponding to the arrows 45. This water flow can, as in the example described above also continues in the outer annulus 34, however considerably slower.

The rotating water flow according to the arrow 45 is maintained constantly and independently of the discharge of or the supply of water. The discharge pipe for water saturated with carbon dioxide has been omitted from Fig. 3 for the sake of clarity.

The rotation of the water as well as the circulation pumping of the carbon dioxide gas in the cycle takes place constantly and independently of the post-dosing of carbon dioxide gas and water through the lines 40 and 37. 'By mixing the gas with the water through the pump or circulation wings, very small, small, medium, large and very large bubbles form . All blisters, which become too large and do not dissolve in the water, are transported by their large lifting force towards the surface, and fill up the gas volume there. Through the constant circulation of the carbon dioxide gas, a maximum enrichment of the water with carbon dioxide gas takes place.

Poon uuAuTY 7906296-7 '13 If the water temperature is kept constant close to the freezing point, an enrichment of carbon dioxide gas in the order of “H grams per liter and more can be achieved in this way. At the same time, the rotation of the water provides optimal cooling of the water to temperatures close to its freezing point.

This is achieved with one and the same pump, which generates the horizontal rotational movement of the water and the perpendicular gas circulation. The required drive power for the pump amounts to a few watts. The submersible pump 60 shown in Fig. L1- can be used as an alternative to the pump 15 in Figs. 1 and 2 or the units 43, 44 in Fig. 5. The pump 60, which is arranged centrally in a water tank, has a motor inside a closed , waterproof housing 61. The motor drives a rotor or impeller 62, which is mounted in a cage 65 with openings through which the water is sucked in and pumped out tangentially. The OCZ gas is supplied to the cage 65 after it has been mixed with. the water through a hose 65. A line 66 is provided for electric current.

This pump is simpler and cheaper than the ones shown on the others. figures and may be more suitable for less stressful uses, such as in private households.

The described device has advantages over previously known devices of the same kind, in that the fine-pore indentation of the gas through the corresponding fine-pore rock, which is immersed in the water, can be excluded. This significantly simplifies and reduces the cost of the device. Likewise, the decomposition or mist formation of the fresh water in the top room can be excluded, which has hitherto been necessary for carbonation or at least for pre-carbonation. Instead, the fresh water can be introduced as a simple jet, ie. with significantly less pressure loss, in the top chamber. This further simplifies the device, as the spray or mist formation nozzle for the water means a considerable cost and considerable additional costs for the device. In addition, operating costs are also reduced, as the energy consumption for introducing the fresh water through input as a single jet is significantly reduced.

The term "cooling surface" in the present application means the contact area between water and a solid surface, which transfers the heat in the water to a cooling device. Thus, the cooling surface can be formed directly through the inner surface of the wall of the pressure vessel. The cooling device, in this case in the form of a cooling hose, may in this case be built directly into the wall of the container or surround this wall. outside However, a special kylyha can also be provided, e.g. a lryl hose or glued immediately to the inside of the container wall.

However. : Eöredrages en. wlyta, inex. in the form of a cooling hose, arranged at a radial distance from the inner surface of the container wall.

Claims (7)

Is. 7906290-7 \ PätßlltkräV Device for saturating water with carbon dioxide. consisting of a pressure-resistant container (2). which in operation contains a predetermined amount of water and above this a top room (6) and has cooling surfaces (5) for cooling the water. extending approximately vertically, a fresh water supply device and a device for supplying carbon dioxide gas and a device immersed in the amount of water for generating circulating movement in the water. characterized in that an underwater pump (15) immersed in the water quantity is arranged for generating circulating movement of the water and for generating circulating movement of the carbon dioxide gas through the water quantity and that for this purpose a supply of the carbon dioxide gas immediately results in submersible suction water . Device according to Claim 1, characterized in that the supply line for the carbon dioxide gas with its other end opens into the top space (6) of the pressure-resistant bracket (2). 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the device for supplying the carbon dioxide gas comprises an inlet opening directly into the top space. Device according to any one of claims 1-3. characterized in that the device for supplying fresh water to the container has an inlet opening. which without congestion opens into the top space (6) in such a way. that the water in operation enters into simple flow. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that a baffle plate is arranged below the water inlet for transforming the water flow into a water veil. Device according to any one of claims 1-5. characterized in that a helical guide for the water flow is arranged at least on the inside of the cylindrical cooling surface (5). POOR mun nv 79Ü629Û “7 Ib 7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that at least two submersible water pumps are arranged. whose intake (lßa) and discharge openings (19a) are arranged at a mutual distance from each other. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the discharge opening of the pump faces the peripheral direction and is arranged close to the cooling surface. / f / i Pnon uuALlïY